As the criteria for the Oscars have become stricter with “diversity”, a senior white actor openly expressed his opposition.
Recently, Richard Dreyfuss had an interview with PBS’ “Firing Line”, where he shot multiple complaints against a new set of rules that have been imposed by the Oscars.
In particular, it is known that from 2024, to receive the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars), the cast and crew of qualifying works must include minorities and socially disadvantaged individuals.
To this, Richard strongly reacted, saying, “They make me vomit”.
The actor also expressed, “No one should be telling me as an artist that I have to give in to the latest, most current idea of what morality is. What are we risking? Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that. You have to let life be life and I’m sorry, I don’t think there is a minority or majority in the country that has to be catered to like that.”
In particular, Richard stated that the world must have gone “crazy” and ignore the meaning of art.
“Am I being told that I will never have a chance to play a black man? Is someone else being told that if they’re not Jewish, they shouldn’t play the Merchant of Venice?”, he said, adding, “This is so patronizing. It’s so thoughtless and treating people like children.”
On the other hand, in 2020, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences added diversity criteria to the Best Picture nominee requirements, considering socially disadvantaged individuals. To be eligible, films must meet at least one of the nine specific criteria in two of the four areas: cast, crew, industry opportunities, and marketing and promotion.
Among the cast, at least one lead or supporting role must be a minority (Asian, Hispanic, Black, etc.), or 30% of the remaining cast members must be female, LGBTQ+, minorities, or disabled. For the crew, at least two of the 14 major positions, such as director and cinematographer, must be socially disadvantaged individuals, or 30% of the entire staff must be socially disadvantaged. In the film industry opportunities category, paid internships must be offered to minorities, and at least two senior positions in marketing and promotion must be held by socially disadvantaged individuals.
In 2015 and 2016, the Academy faced the “White Oscars” controversy, as all 20 acting nominees were white for two consecutive years. So, when director Bong Joon Ho’s film “Parasite” won Best Picture and Best Director as the first non-English film in 2020, the world was thrilled.
The new criteria for the Oscars, aimed at fostering the birth of a “second Bong Joon Ho”, will be applied from the 2024 awards ceremony. However, with opposition from Richard and others, it remains to be seen what kind of ending the awards ceremony will have.
Source: Daum
